stress and the immune response

Question 1

The anterior pituitary adrenal cortex system

Answer 1

The release of ACTH triggers the release of glucocorticoids which produce the effects of the stress response.

Question 2

the sympathetic nervous system

Answer 2

releases epinephrine and norepinephrine (adrenaline and noradrenialine)

Question 3

H- Pylori infection

Answer 3

Stomach ulcers, where the infection is not enough alone to cause stomach ulcers - even though antibiotics do help so does psychological therapies.

Question 4

cytokines

Answer 4

proteins used by cells to communicate

Question 5

lymphocytes

Answer 5

specialized white blood cells produced in the bone marrow and stored in the lymphatic system

Two types
T cells - cell mediated immunity

B cells - antibody mediated immunity

Question 6

T cells

Answer 6

Cell mediated immunity
If an invader gets in then a macrophage will engulf it show its proteins on the outside and a t cell will lock on and destroy and make more.

Question 7

B cells

Answer 7

Antibody mediated immunity

Antibodies which lock onto specific antigens

Question 8

How does stress affect the immune response

Answer 8

T and B cells have receptors for norepineohrine and epinephrine and glucocorticoids.

Question 9

mice - Licking study

Answer 9

Low licking mice raised by high licking mothers are less anxious
High licking mice raised by low licking mothers are fine

• have to have the susceptibility.

Question 10

The hippocampus

Answer 10

has a particullary dense population of glucocorticoid receptors
- this is why stress can affect the function of memory (less memories if stressed)

Question 11

The amygdala

Answer 11

(fear)- activates the HPA axis which sets in motion the behaviour to deal with stress

Question 12

Therapy - mindfulness

Answer 12

Davidson et al: 8 week training.

Signficant increase in the antibody to influenza following a vaccination.